Nelson Morales

PAL to add more winter flights to Japan, holiday flights to Australia

Article (news)

Arthur Fuentes

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Philippine Airlines announced Tuesday a major expansion of its international network, ramping up flights to Japan and adding seasonal capacity to Australia ahead of the year-end holiday rush.The airline said it will increase frequencies on three key Japan routes starting late October to capture winter peak demand. Weekly flights from Manila to Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai will both jump from 14 to 21, while the Manila-Sapporo route will expand from three to five flights a week.Starting in late October, PAL will increase flights to these areas in Japan:<ul style="margin-left:20px;list-style-type:disc"><li>Manila–Tokyo (Narita) - from 14 to 21 weekly flights, effective October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027</li><li>Manila–Osaka (Kansai) - from 14 to 21 weekly flights, effective October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027</li><li>Manila–Sapporo (Chitose) - from 3 to 5 weekly flights, effective November 24, 2026, to February 27, 2027</li></ul>The move will push PAL’s total Japan operations to 87 weekly flights across six destinations.&quot;The winter season is one of the most popular times of the year for Filipinos visiting Japan, while it is also a peak period for Japanese travelers seeking the Philippines&#x27; tropical destinations,&quot; PAL President Richard Nuttall said in a statement.To accommodate the Christmas and New Year travel surge, the carrier will also deploy extra flights to Melbourne and Perth, while upgrading aircraft sizes on selected routes to Sydney and Brisbane.The added Australia capacity is aimed at the large Filipino diaspora and holidaymakers traveling during the year-end peak, the airline said, complementing its existing frequent flyer partnership with Australia&#x27;s Qantas.Aviation analysts have noted that competition among regional carriers has intensified during the post-pandemic winter travel rebound in North Asia.

The airline said it will increase frequencies on three key Japan routes starting late October to capture winter peak demand.

The airline said it will increase frequencies on three key Japan routes starting late October to capture winter peak demand.